The effect of interleukin-17F on vasculogenic mimicry in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Lupeol and Paclitaxel cooperate in hindering hypoxia induced vasculogenic mimicry via suppression of HIF-1α-EphA2-Laminin-5γ2 network in human oral cancer

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), defined as an endothelial cell independent alternative mechanism of blood and nutrient supply by dysregulated tumor cells, is associated with poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here we aim to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of the synergistic effect of phytochemical Lupeol and standard microtubule inhibitor Paclitaxel in reversing the hypoxia induced VM formation in OSCC. The results demonstrated that the hypoxia induced upregulation of HIF-1α led to augmentation of signaling cascade associated with extracellular matrix remodeling and EMT phenotypes that are mechanistically linked to VM. Induction of HIF-1α altered the expression of EMT/CSC markers (E-Cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, Twist and CD133) and enhanced the ability of cell migration/invasion and spheroid formation. Subsequently, the targeted knockdown of HIF-1α by siRNA led to the perturbation of matrigel mediated tube formation as well as of Laminin-5γ2 expression with the down-regulation of VE-Cadherin, total and phosphorylated (S-897) EphA2, pERK1/2 and MMP2. We also observed that Lupeol in association with Paclitaxel resulted to apoptosis and the disruption of VM associated phenotypes in vitro. We further validated the impact of this novel interventional approach in a patient derived tumor explant culture model of oral malignancy. The ex vivo tumor model mimicked the in vitro anti-VM potential of Lupeol-Paclitaxel combination through down-regulating HIF-1α/EphA2/Laminin-5γ2 cascade. Together, our findings elucidated mechanistic underpinning of hypoxia induced Laminin-5γ2 driven VM formation highlighting that Lupeol-Paclitaxel combination may serve as novel therapeutic intervention in perturbation of VM in human OSCC.

The Role of IL-17 in the Pathogenesis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Elucidating the inflammatory mechanisms underlying formation and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is crucial for discovering new targeted therapeutics. The proinflammatory cytokine IL-17 has proven roles in tumor formation, growth, and metastasis. The presence of IL-17 is demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo models, and in OSCC patients, is mostly accompanied by enhanced proliferation and invasiveness of cancer cells. Here we review the known facts regarding the role of IL-17 in OSCC pathogenesis, namely the IL-17 mediated production of proinflammatory mediators that mobilize and activate myeloid cells with suppressive and proangiogenic activities and proliferative signals that directly induce proliferation of cancer cells and stem cells. The possibility of a potential IL-17 blockade in OSCC therapy is also discussed.

Identity matters: cancer stem cells and tumour plasticity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents frequent yet aggressive tumours that encompass complex ecosystems of stromal and neoplastic components including a dynamic population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Recently, research in the field of CSCs has gained increased momentum owing in part to their role in tumourigenicity, metastasis, therapy resistance and relapse. We provide herein a comprehensive assessment of the latest progress in comprehending CSC plasticity, including newly discovered influencing factors and their possible application in HNSCC. We further discuss the dynamic interplay of CSCs within tumour microenvironment considering our evolving appreciation of the contribution of oral microbiota and the pressing need for relevant models depicting their features. In sum, CSCs and tumour plasticity represent an exciting and expanding battleground with great implications for cancer therapy that are only beginning to be appreciated in head and neck oncology.

Immunotherapy checkpoints in ovarian cancer vasculogenic mimicry: Tumor immune microenvironments, and drugs

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a vessel-like structure independent of endothelial cells, commonly exists in solid tumors which requires blood vessels to grow. As a special source of blood supply for tumor progression to a more aggressive state, VM has been observed in a variety of human malignant tumors and is tightly associated with tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and poor patient prognosis. So far, various factors, including immune cells and cytokines, were reported to regulate ovarian cancer progression by influencing VM formation. Herein, we review the mechanisms that regulate VM formation in ovarian cancer and the effect of cells, cytokines, and signaling molecules in the tumor microenvironment on VM formation, Furthermore, we summarize the current clinical application of drugs targeting VM formation.

Orchestrated expression of vasculogenic mimicry and laminin-5γ2 is an independent prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), an endothelial cell-independent alternative mechanism of blood supply to the malignant tumour, has long been considered as an adverse prognostic factor in many cancers. The correlation of VM with laminin-5γ2 and the assessment of their harmonized expression as an independent risk factor have not been elucidated yet in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). CD31/PAS staining stratified 116 clinically diagnosed OSCC specimens into VM+ and VM- cohorts. The expression pattern of laminin-5γ2 and its upstream modulator MMP2 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the survival and prognostic implications. The presence of VM demonstrated a significant correlation with the expression of laminin-5γ2 (p < .001) and MMP2 (p < .001). This pattern was mirrored by the significant upregulation of laminin-5γ2 and MMP2 in VM+ cohorts compared with the VM- ones. Furthermore, co-expression of VM and laminin-5γ2 was significantly associated with tumour grade (p = .010), primary tumour size (p < .001), lymph node metastasis (p = .001) and TNM stages (p < .001) but not with patients' age, gender, tobacco and alcohol consumption habit. Vasculogenic mimicry and laminin-5γ2 double-positive cohort displayed a significantly poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Vasculogenic mimicry, laminin-5γ2 and their subsequent dual expression underlie a significant prognostic value for DFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 9.896, p = .028] and OS [HR = 21.401, p = .033] in OSCC patients. Together, our findings imply that VM along with laminin-5γ2 is strongly linked to the malignant progression in OSCC and VM and laminin-5γ2 coordination emerges as a critical prognostic biomarker for OSCC.

Variable roles of interleukin-17F in different cancers

BACKGROUND

Interleukin (IL)-17 family is a group of six cytokines that plays a central role in inflammatory processes and participates in cancer progression. Interleukin-17A has been shown to have mainly a protumorigenic role, but the other members of the IL-17 family, including IL-17F, have received less attention.

METHODS

We applied systematic review guidelines to study the role of IL-17F, protein and mRNA expression, polymorphisms, and functions, in cancer. We carried out a systematic search in PubMed, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane libraries, yielding 79 articles that met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

The findings indicated that IL-17F has both anti- and protumorigenic roles, which depend on cancer type and the molecular form and location of IL-17F. As an example, the presence of IL-17F protein in tumor tissue and patient serum has a protective role in oral and pancreatic cancers, whereas it is protumorigenic in prostate and bladder cancers. These effects are proposed to be based on multiple mechanisms, such as inhibition of angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry and cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and aggravating the inflammatory process. No solid evidence emerged for the correlation between IL-17F polymorphisms and cancer incidence or patients' prognosis.

CONCLUSION

IL-17F is a multifaceted cytokine. There is a clear demand for more well-designed studies of IL-17F to elucidate its molecular mechanisms in different types of cancer. The studies presented in this article examined a variety of different designs, study populations and primary/secondary outcomes, which unfortunately reduces the value of direct interstudy comparisons.

Comparative Analysis of Vascular Mimicry in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches

Tissue vasculature provides the main conduit for metastasis in solid tumours including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Vascular mimicry (VM) is an endothelial cell (EC)-independent neovascularization pattern, whereby tumour cells generate a perfusable vessel-like meshwork. Yet, despite its promising clinical utility, there are limited approaches to better identify VM in HNSCC and what factors may influence such a phenomenon in vitro. Therefore, we employed different staining procedures to assess their utility in identifying VM in tumour sections, wherein mosaic vessels may also be adopted to further assess the VM-competent cell phenotype. Using 13 primary and metastatic HNSCC cell lines in addition to murine- and human-derived matrices, we elucidated the impact of the extracellular matrix, tumour cell type, and density on the formation and morphology of cell-derived tubulogenesis in HNSCC. We then delineated the optimal cell numbers needed to obtain a VM meshwork in vitro, which revealed cell-specific variations and yet consistent expression of the EC marker CD31. Finally, we proposed the zebrafish larvae as a simple and cost-effective model to evaluate VM development in vivo. Taken together, our findings offer a valuable resource for designing future studies that may facilitate the therapeutic exploitation of VM in HNSCC and other tumours.

The effect of interleukin-17F on vasculogenic mimicry in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is characterized by early metastasis and poor prognosis. Recently, we reported that extracellular interleukin-17F (IL-17F) correlates with better disease-specific survival in OTSCC patients and has promising anticancer effects in vitro. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is the formation of an alternative vasculogenic system by aggressive tumor cells, which is implicated in treatment failure and poor survival of cancer patients. We sought to confirm the formation of VM in OTSCC and to investigate the effect of IL-17F on VM formation. Here, we showed that highly invasive OTSCC cells (HSC-3 and SAS) form tube-like VM on Matrigel similar to those formed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Interestingly, the less invasive cells (SCC-25) did not form any VM structures. Droplet-digital PCR, FACS, and immunofluorescence staining revealed the presence of CD31 mRNA and protein in OTSCC cells. Additionally, in a mouse orthotopic model, HSC-3 cells expressed VE-cadherin (CD144) but lacked Von Willebrand Factor. We identified different patterns of VM structures in patient samples and in an orthotopic OTSCC mouse model. Similar to the effect produced by the antiangiogenic drug sorafenib, IL-17F inhibited the formation of VM structures in vitro by HSC-3 and reduced almost all VM-related parameters. In conclusion, our findings indicate the presence of VM in OTSCC and the antitumorigenic effect of IL-17F through its effect on the VM. Therefore, targeting IL-17F or its regulatory pathways may lead to promising therapeutic strategies in patients with OTSCC.